Miss Minty Fresh

According to The Bugle, the seven billionth member of the populace will be born on Monday 31 October.  This led to a Malthus reference, which always makes me happy.  

Our due date is tomorrow, but most babies (at least first babies) are late.  Kai’s not coming out today, that’s for sure.  Maybe he’ll be number 7,000,000,000?

Hi baby boy,

Before I begin, I wanted to ask you to stop poking your foot into my ribcage; you’ve been at it for the last couple days.  Thanks little dude.

Your dad and I named you a few weeks ago, but I didn’t want to post anything about it until we were really, really sure.  

Kai Apollo.  

Every time I say it to myself I want to smile really widely.  It goes so well with your dad’s last name; almost sing-songy, really.  

Kai was my contribution. It brings to mind a dreadheaded mandolin player who prefers to not wear shoes and likes to hug people.  Maybe it’s just to my mind, but regardless, I like the image it conjures.  This guy’s name is John, but to me, he’s a Kai. 

Apollo was your dad’s idea; representing music and reason in one made-up-but-iconic entity was right up our alley.  Did you know that Apollo is also god of the plague?  Fun!  Additionally, we learned via one of our nerdy podcasts that two of the inscriptions on Apollo’s temple at Delphi read:

“Know thyself” and “Nothing in excess”.

Rather appropriate for our family.  You’ll see when you get here.

Love, 

Mama

Dear Peanut,

About that: sorry we don’t have a name for you just yet. We’re working on it.

We are about 18 weeks away from meeting you. Seeing you on the ultrasound machine the other week made it seem so much more real for both your dad AND me. You haven’t been too hard on me so far; aside from the constant full bladder/empty stomach thing, I am not uncomfortable yet. Speaking of empty stomachs, I feel pretty lucky that I’m growing you during the warmer months. You would not believe the volume of fruit I can consume in one sitting these days. Check out this plum…I’ve eaten three just like it today:

By the time you arrive I’ll be happily gorging for us on apples, pears, and squashes. I hope you’ll like those, too.

While I don’t feel uncomfortable, I am not particularly energetic lately, and I’ve been a bit of a slug all weekend. So I made myself get up and take a little bicycle ride this evening while your dad was playing a gig. I hope you’ll be quick to take to the bike when you get old enough. Your dad and I love to ride around in the evening and until you’re old enough to keep up, we’ll be bringing you along, somehow. Maybe in this:

I like it because you’ll get to learn how to watch the road and read traffic.

We might get this thing, too, because we can use it to push you around when we’re not pulling it behind our bikes or when we’re not carrying you. (Your dad is really looking forward to wearing you in a baby carrier, and I think that’s just so sweet).

We went to see your dad’s old band on Friday, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and I think his buddies are excited to meet you. I hope you liked the music; we haven’t listened to much of it at home…mostly just Phillies games and NPR podcasts. (That’s really weird, considering). I actually can’t tell if you are responding to any external stimuli, as you seem to knock around at my innards without discernable patterns. Lucky for me, you’re probably not too much bigger than a pound yet, so it doesn’t hurt….it just reminds me that you’re there.

We love you, baby boy.

Love,

Mama

(a.k.a. Miss Minty)

Check out that spine!

Already sucking the thumb:

(I’ll make some scans tomorrow and post non-iPhone “scans” soon).

Today was the big midway ultrasound appointment.  It appears that everything is growing as it should:  all the parts are in proportion, all the chambers of the heart are functional, the umbilical cord looks great, etc.  We’ll get more information at my next midwife appointment next week,  but right now, all’s well.  

Baby boy, we already love you so much.  We can’t wait to show you the big awesome world you’re going to live in.

Miss Minty

Unmistakeable kicking.  

Nothing else new to report, pregnancy-wise…so here’s a pretty picture:

Happy almost-weekend, friends.

Miss Minty

I worked on a wonderful small farm in the summer of 2004 and turned into a food snob.  For the first time in my life I had just-picked herbs for every meal; I had five kinds of tomatoes, I had Swiss chard and purslane and nasturtium all for the first time.  I had my first taste of fresh-from-the-ground garlic, onions, and broccoli.  And the greens.  OH THE GREENS.  Mizuna, arugula, oak leaf…it was all new and incredibly delicious.

As a farm apprentice (and in the early days of this farm’s existence) I was paid with vegetables, not money.  I learned so much about gardening, nursery care, and permaculture…and I grew a lot of respect for farm workers….have you ever picked cucumbers for three hours in mid-day Virginia sun?  That shit is hard work.  I also was attacked by a rooster; he hated me.  

Since my farming experience I gravitate towards food that is as seasonal as possible - no citrus in July, no strawberries in November, no apples in May, etc., etc.  During the bleak winter months there’s only so much frozen spinach and squashes a girl can eat so I do of course break down and buy a bunch of fresh greens (for $3 at Whole Foods, ugh) but I do try my best to be conscientious.  Farmers’ markets are of course the ideal place to support small farms and buy something tasty, and when it’s the season I always go there first.

BUT.  I got pregnant.

The strength of my cravings have been so compelling that I have completely and utterly thrown my own principles out the window when it comes to food.

There’s a produce stand in a storefront on Yonge Street, just a few blocks from the office, we go there about twice a week or so.  The prices are great and the produce looks to be of pretty decent quality.  There were tasty yellow tomatoes a few weeks ago and I bought pounds of them.  I bought blackberries and strawberries when it was snowing.  I bought WATERMELON in late March.  I have no shame.  I am…if you will pardon the pun…eating my words.

I suppose I should be grateful that I’ve been craving fruits and veggies instead of salty duck fat-fried tater tots with truffle oil from Prohibition Gastro House on Queen Street….oh wait…

Saltily (& sweetly),

Miss Minty

Sunday marked the 14th week of gestation, so here we are.  I figured it was time for some pregnancy-dedicated postings.

Most important:  everyone thus far seems to be healthy.  I got an ultrasound at six weeks and the then-embryo had a great heartbeat and was attached in all the right places in my uterus:

I suppose I can say that the first trimester was actually rather kind to me.  Mentally and emotionally, I felt really quite happy and vibrant (which is kind of shocking considering that we didn’t…..plan very well).  My back injury ceased to bother me (for a little while, anyway).  I felt quite nauseous for several weeks but never once actually threw up, and while nausea is never fun, it only rendered me totally useless for a total of about five days between the 5th and 7th week.  Yes, I was quite tired and only felt rested if I had at least nine hours of sleep a night.  In my experience so far, this is rare to achieve at any point in pregnancy because you have to pee ALL THE DAMN TIME.

Interestingly, as of last week, I’m still a few pounds below my pre-pregnancy starting weight (despite a growing belly and two rather obnoxiously voluminous orbs situated just north).  This is due to consuming much less than my normal food intake during weeks five through eleven.  We don’t own a scale, so I don’t know how much I lost, but I’d venture to guess somewhere around ten pounds.  This is not uncommon.  I craved certain foods very strongly and consistently:  freezy pops, apples, and salads were big ones.  I also for some reason wanted salty processed foods like cheap wonton soup, McDonald’s breakfast, Outback Steakhouse, etc.  My usually indomitable sweet tooth all but disappeared, and the thought of bread or crackers made me feel completely ill.  Weird.

So now it’s the second trimester…and thus far it can be summed up as follows:

1. constant hunger
2. constant thirst
3. constant peeing
4. evidence of a baby growing inside me (instead of it looking like I consumed a whole pizza last night)

Observe….#4 in action:

I’ll keep you posted….but right now….I need a snack….

Miss Minty

At the risk of sounding whiny, I am going to make a list.  It’s really only for my benefit, as I haven’t actually compiled this list outside of my own head yet.

This is what’s happened in my life since May 2010:

1. Moved across town (<5 miles)
2. Started a car sharing consulting business
3. Got engaged to Ben
4. Ben went away to work on a cruise ships and touring shows
5. I quit my job at PhillyCarShare
6. Moved from Philadelphia to Orlando, FL (approximately 1,000 miles)
7. Moved back to Philadelphia from Orlando
8. Found a new job in Philly
9. Got married to Ben
10. Was offered a job in Toronto; quit job in Philly
11. We found out we are having a baby 
12. Moved from Philadelphia to Toronto (approximately 500 miles)

It’s a bit much, wouldn’t you say?  I think I’m ready to relax…I suppose I can for about six or seven more months…

Although getting pregnant was something we were thinking about probably moving forward with at some point, we certainly were not planning on it happening right this freaking second.  I suppose it’s fitting that it’s one of twelve Big Things that happened this past year, then.

Being away from home (that would be Philadelphia) for the foreseeable future is going to be doubly hard; having a new baby without my friends near me is not something I’m particularly looking forward to.  Hence, my plea:  if you are on Skype, please please find me and add me as a contact.  I’m “missmintyfresh”, and I want to talk to you.

The big changes have made me eternally grateful for three constants though.  They are:

1. 

2.  

3.  

It’s not too hard to imagine adding a fifth critter to our little family.

Love from the freaking frozen North (seriously, WTH)?

Miss Minty